A Study Of The Freedom Of Western Press From The Perspective Of The Philosophy Of Classical Natural Law

Since modern times,the philosophy of law,as a basic theory of law in western countries,has exerted a very important influence on every aspect of western social life.In the field of the philosophy of law,the concept of law is not equal to that of “law” in common sense.Its concrete connotations have undergone a process of evolution and changes.In the western discourse system of early modern times,the “law” in the law philosophy means “natural rights”.While,the law philosophy is regarded as a “science of pure right”.In this sense,the philosophy of classical natural law,which enjoyed a dominant position in the early modern western ideological circle,is a philosophy concerning natural rights of human beings.In the philosophy of classical natural law,the rights of freedom,equality,and property are regarded as bestowed,and that man must be allowed to enjoy the rights in order to survive,develop,and live a contented life.As an important part of the human rights of freedom,in the theoretical system of the philosophy of classical natural law,press freedom is also regarded as divine right and pursued by the modern bourgeoisie.In other words,the philosophy of classical natural law is the initial root and soul of the freedom of western press.Since the 17 and 18 th centuries,a great number of western thinkers and philosophers have explored the issue of press freedom in light of the philosophy of classical natural law,and put forward a series of thoughts on press freedom with distinctive characteristics.In countries such as Britain,the United States and France,the issue concerning press freedom has been brought to the foreground of the bourgeois revolution.Correspondingly,various ideas of press freedom have become powerful weapons for the bourgeoisie to fight against the feudal autocracy,and have guided and promoted the development of the press freedom practice in every nation.These thoughts and practice have proved to be significant for reference in the present.Although the thoughts of the freedom of western press played an active role in history and have exerted a critical impact on the future generations,fundamentally,these thoughts are idealism thoughts of press freedom derived from the philosophy of classical natural law,which were born with congenital defects and deficiencies.In the whole process,the course of the freedom of western press in the early modern times has proved for many times that the western press freedom,which was based on the philosophy of classical natural law,has the obvious nature of both fantasy and metaphysics.